Rotary Carbonator

Abstract

The present application provides a rotary carbonator for use with a beverage dispensing system. The rotary carbonator may include an off-center carbonator chamber, a rotor positioned within the off-center carbonator chamber, and a number of vanes extending from the rotor. The vanes may define within the off-center carbonator chamber a first number of vane cavities with an increasing area and a second number of vane cavities with a decreasing area. A water inlet and a gas inlet may be positioned about the first vane cavities and a carbonated water outlet may be positioned about the second vane cavities.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A rotary carbonator for use with a beverage dispensing system, comprising:
 an off-center carbonator chamber;   a rotor positioned within the off-center carbonator chamber;   a plurality of vanes extending from the rotor;   the plurality of vanes defining within the off-center carbonator chamber a first plurality of vane cavities with an increasing area and a second plurality of vane cavities with a decreasing area;   a water inlet and a gas inlet positioned about the first plurality of vane cavities; and   a carbonated water outlet positioned about the second plurality of vane cavities.   
     
     
         2 . The rotary carbonator of  claim 1 , further comprising a drive motor. 
     
     
         3 . The rotary carbonator of  claim 2 , further comprising a magnetic coupling positioned about the drive motor. 
     
     
         4 . The rotary carbonator of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of vanes comprises a plurality of opposed pairs and wherein the plurality of opposed pairs comprises a spring therebetween. 
     
     
         5 . The rotary carbonator of  claim 1 , further comprising a stator and wherein the rotor and the stator define the off-center carbonator chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The rotary carbonator of  claim 5 , wherein an interior surface of the stator comprises a plurality of radii of curvature. 
     
     
         7 . The rotary carbonator of  claim 5 , wherein an exterior of the stator comprises a stator water pathway of the water inlet, a stator gas pathway of the gas inlet, and a stator carbonated water pathway of the carbonated water outlet. 
     
     
         8 . The rotary carbonator of  claim 1 , wherein the off-center carbonator chamber comprises a rear chamber plate and a front chamber plate. 
     
     
         9 . The rotary carbonator of  claim 8 , wherein the rear chamber plate and the front chamber plate comprise a plate water pathway of the water inlet, a plate gas pathway of the gas inlet, and a plate carbonated water pathway of the carbonated water outlet. 
     
     
         10 . The rotary carbonator of  claim 1 , further comprising a pump housing surrounding the off-center carbonator chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The rotary carbonator of  claim 10 , wherein the pump housing comprises a housing water pathway of the water inlet, a housing gas pathway of the gas inlet, and a housing carbonated water pathway of the carbonated water outlet. 
     
     
         12 . The rotary carbonator of  claim 10 , wherein the pump housing comprises a housing plate. 
     
     
         13 . The rotary carbonator of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of vane cavities comprises a first quadrant with the water inlet and a second quadrant with the gas inlet. 
     
     
         14 . The rotary carbonator of  claim 13 , wherein the second plurality of vane cavities comprises a third quadrant and a fourth quadrant with the carbonated water outlet. 
     
     
         15 . A method of carbonating water on demand, comprising:
 rotating a plurality of sliding vanes in an off-center carbonator chamber;   wherein the plurality of sliding vanes defines a first plurality of vane cavities with an increasing area and a second plurality of vane cavities with a decreasing area;   flowing water into the first plurality of vane cavities;   flowing carbon dioxide into the first plurality of vane cavities;   mixing the water and the carbon dioxide in the second plurality of vane cavities; and   flowing carbonated water out of the second plurality of vane cavities.   
     
     
         16 . A beverage dispensing system, comprising:
 a nozzle;   one or more concentrates in communication with the nozzle; and   a rotary carbonator producing a flow of carbonated water in communication with the nozzle;   wherein the rotary carbonator comprises an off-center carbonator chamber with a plurality of sliding vanes therein.   
     
     
         17 . The beverage dispensing system of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of vanes define a first plurality of vane cavities with an increasing area and a second plurality of vane cavities with a decreasing area. 
     
     
         18 . The beverage dispensing system of  claim 17 , wherein the rotary carbonator comprises a water inlet and a gas inlet positioned about the first plurality of vane cavities. 
     
     
         19 . The beverage dispensing system of  claim 17 , wherein the rotary carbonator comprises a carbonated water outlet positioned about the second plurality of vane cavities. 
     
     
         20 . The beverage dispensing system of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of sliding vanes comprises a plurality of opposed pairs and wherein the plurality of opposed pairs comprises a spring therebetween.